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Putting the child to sleep: useful tips and recommendations

Author, editor and medical expert - Muraeva Yulia Yurievna.

Views: 195 704

Last update date: 06/23/2022 G.

average reading time: 12 minutes

Content:

Rhythm of children's sleep
How to properly laid it out properly sleep baby
How to help your baby sleep
How to teach a child to sleep in his own crib?
Bedtime rituals
What are the bedtime rituals?

Sleep is an important part of life, so it must be regular and of high quality ¹ . But often the first year of a child's life becomes a real test for parents. Even such a seemingly simple action as putting a newborn to sleep sometimes turns into a task of increased complexity.

The difficulty is that in infants, sleep is still being formed, and circadian rhythms differ from those to which parents are accustomed ² .

Rhythms of baby sleep

Before birth, the alternation of sleep phases in the fetus is subject to circadian (daily) rhythms and fluctuations in the hormonal background of the expectant mother. After giving birth, it takes time for the child to mature its own regulatory system ² .

A term newborn sleeps an average of 16-17 hours ² , and the total duration of sleep is not affected by dark and daylight hours ³ .

Babies up to 2 months have 2 sleep phases ^2.3 :

• Active sleep. Starts after falling asleep. This phase is important for the stimulation and development of the central nervous system. During active sleep, you can observe the baby's mobility, rapid eye movements and a weakening of reactions to external stimuli (light, sound, touch).
• Peaceful sleep. Follows the active phase. During restful sleep, the heart rate slows down, the movements of the eyeballs stop, and the baby stops moving his arms and legs.

Together these 2 phases form a cycle. Each cycle begins with active sleep followed by restful sleep. The duration of such a cycle is approximately 45-60 minutes ³ .

But the sleep-wake cycle lasts longer. For breastfed babies, it is approximately 1-3 hours, and for artificial babies, it is 2-5 hours ³ .

Gradually lengthening periods of wakefulness, and most of the sleep occurs at night ² :

• By the end of 3 months of life, an uninterrupted night's sleep can be about 5 hours ³ .
• From 2 to 12 months, babies sleep 9-10 hours at night ³ , while daytime sleep is divided into 1-4 episodes that can last from 30 minutes to 2 hours ³ .

Sleep regularity and sleep disturbances can be assessed after 6 months, when the child develops circadian rhythms ³ .

Although the night sleep becomes longer, each cycle is still accompanied by micro-awakenings (wakings) ^2.3 , after which the baby can fall asleep quickly enough. This is a short-term activation of the central nervous system, which must be distinguished from a full awakening ² . It is good if at this moment the mother is nearby and helps the child fall asleep again.

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How to Put Your Baby to Sleep

The American Pediatrics Association has developed guidelines for safe sleep for babies. Below are some of them (the full list of recommendations can be found at the link) ⁴ :

• The best sleeping position is on your back.
• The mattress should be hard enough, and the crib should not be cluttered with things, blankets, pillows.
• No smoking in the nursery.
• If the child sleeps in a cool room, it is better to dress him warmly or put him in a special sleeping bag for babies. He should be warm, but not hot, so it is not recommended to wrap him with a blanket. And in order for the baby to breathe freely, in no case cover him with a blanket with his head.

Babies up to 12 months of age still need to feed at night, so sleeping in the same room with the mother may be necessary to optimize breastfeeding and closer contact ⁴ . Co-sleeping in the same room with parents does not mean that the child will sleep with them in the same bed, because it does not meet the safety requirements ⁴ .

Before putting your newborn to bed, also remember that:

• Tight swaddling is not recommended0036 4 . There are babies who find this soothing, but swaddling can interfere with the baby's breathing because the chest is compressed and the baby cannot take a deep breath. ⁴ . Tight swaddling also increases the risk of a lung infection and can aggravate hip dysplasia. Do not swaddle a baby who is already rolling over from his back to his stomach ⁴ .
• There is no consensus on the use of pacifiers. Some experts believe that they have a negative effect on breastfeeding and interfere with the formation of the correct bite. Other evidence suggests that pacifiers help reduce the risk of respiratory and cardiac problems in infants up to 12 months of age ⁴ .
• Don't encourage falling asleep in your arms or while feeding. Older babies do not need to be allowed to fall asleep while watching a movie, after a set time, or in their parent's bed ⁴ .

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How to help your baby fall asleep

As the baby develops, fears, anxiety, anxiety may appear when he refuses to sleep separately from his parents and resists falling asleep ² . The maturation of biological rhythms is facilitated by the environment of the child, the behavior of parents, compliance with the regimen and rules of sleep hygiene ³ .

To ensure quality rest and proper development, parents need to follow the recommendations. Specialists advise following these rules ⁴ :

• Put the baby to bed in the evening and wake up in the morning at about the same time, despite weekends and holidays ⁴ .
• Avoid physical activity before bed ⁴ .
• Limit activities in bed that are not related to falling asleep (playing, feeding), as this interferes with the baby's understanding of sleep ⁴ .
• Keep the bedroom comfortable - moderate temperature, low lighting, minimal noise, comfortable pajamas ⁴ .
• Form a laying ritual ⁵ .
• Follow the diet - the baby should not have any hunger or overeating. Before going to bed, you can feed him a little ⁵ .
• Keep an activity diary so that you can analyze and understand what interferes with your child's sleep ⁴ .

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How can I get my baby to sleep in his own crib?

There are various methods to help a child fall asleep on his own, without the help of parents. They are often used as a non-drug treatment for insomnia (sleep disorder) in young children aged 1 to 3 years ⁴ . Examples of such techniques are described below. Choosing the right one for your baby should be discussed with a baby sleep specialist.

One way to overcome sleep disorders is through behavioral therapy. It helps to change wrong associations and sleep patterns in a child ^4.7 . In behavioral therapy, the abandonment method is used. With him, parents immediately leave the child in the crib and leave the nursery. However, they do not return when they hear his cries or call, giving him the opportunity to fall asleep on his own ⁴ . But psychologists do not recommend using this approach if the baby is not yet 6 months old and is breastfeeding ⁴ , as this may adversely affect the baby's condition.

In addition, the abandonment method is not suitable for all parents. For those who want to be near or calm a crying baby ⁴ experts recommend other methods - "check and hold" or "gradual repayment" ^4.7 .

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"Checking and Holding"

When getting ready for bed, the parent spends some time with the child, then puts him to bed and leaves the room or goes to bed if she is in the nursery. At the same time, they do not approach the baby for 15-20 minutes and do not react to his crying or screaming. This period is called "hold" ⁷

When the 20 minutes have elapsed, the parent goes to the child, straightens his bed and returns to himself. This part is called checking ⁷ .

It is very important not to take him out of the crib and feed him when he wakes up. The exception is children who require night feedings for age or medical reasons. In all other cases, the parent simply comes to the crib for a short time to check, and then leaves again for a 15-20 minute “hold” ⁷ .

Gradually - over several nights - increase the "hold" interval to 30 minutes ⁷ .

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Gradual repayment

This technique is designed to “repay” the child's protests and manipulations ⁷ . There are 2 options for "gradual repayment" - with and without the presence of a parent ⁴ .

The classic option is to leave the baby alone in the bedroom for a certain amount of time, gradually accustoming him to fall asleep on his own. Unlike the “check and hold” method, the child can be calmed down. But you need to return to his bed not at the first call, but after a certain time. After the child calms down, you need to leave again, increasing the intervals when he tries to fall asleep without you ⁷ . This option is suitable for babies over 6 months old ⁴ .

Until the age of six months, use the “gradual repayment” method in the presence of a parent. It is carried out in stages ⁴ :

• The parent puts the baby to bed and sits next to it. If the bed is large, you can lie down next to the child.
• On subsequent nights, mom or dad still stays close to the baby, but gradually reduces the number of touches, communicates less with him, showing him that they are busy with something, for example, reading or cleaning the room.
• When putting the child to bed, the parent does not lie down next to him, but sits on a chair not far from the bed, about 5 meters from it, continuing to sit until the baby falls asleep.
• In the next step, the distance between the bed and the chair is increased by gradually moving it away.
• A little later you can leave the nursery for a while, but be sure to return before the baby cries.

If the child wakes up, repeat the same steps that you perform at this stage of the procedure. The stages can be stretched over several days so that the baby has time to get used to each ⁴ .

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Bedding rituals

Forming a bedding ritual is considered to be an effective method ⁴ . It can complement the "repayment" technique, but sometimes it works quite well on its own. Suitable for all ages, but the earlier it is started, the less likely babies are to develop sleep problems - they fall asleep faster and sleep longer ⁴ .

The ritual begins at the moment of the child's drowsiness. Before you put the baby to sleep, you need to perform a number of actions. They should be predictable, regular, relaxing and positive. The total duration of the ritual is 20-45 minutes ⁴ . If it was not possible to meet the set time, most likely, you need to shift the ritual to another time and wait for drowsiness. It can manifest itself as loss of interest in surrounding toys and people, reddening of the eyelids, rubbing of the eyes, yawning ⁴ .

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What are the rituals for falling asleep?

Experts recommend preparing for sleep, which consists of consecutive, daily repeated actions, the so-called routines ⁵ . They help to speed up falling asleep, increase the quality and duration of sleep, reduce the number of night awakenings ⁵ .

The most typical nightly rituals ⁶ :

• Bathing in warm water with your favorite foam or bath product, light massage.
• Soothing sounds - "white noise". This is a monotonous noise that does not carry a semantic load, soothes and helps to forget, for example, flowing water, a metronome, ticking clocks or recordings of nature sounds.
• Lullabies and fairy tales.
• Wishes for "good night", "sweet dreams" or other phrases that are said only before going to bed.

Sleep experts recommend a three-step ritual that includes bathing, massage and quiet time in the crib ⁸ .

• Bath foam can be used during bathing. For babies from 6 months, JOHNSON’S ® Baby Bath Foam "Before Bed" is suitable. It has a soothing scent to help your baby get ready for bed ⁸ .
• Immediately after a warm bath, a milk can be applied to the skin, such as JOHNSON’S ® Bedtime Milk ⁸ , for children over 6 months of age, by lightly stroking the skin. Such a massage will calm the baby even more and prepare him for sleep, especially thanks to the pleasant smell of milk ⁸ .
• At the third stage, you need to change the child into pajamas, read a bedtime story or sing a lullaby ^4,8 .

As a rule, a few days are enough to form an association between the evening routine and falling asleep ⁴ .

As you can see, pediatricians and psychologists have developed various methods for healthy children's sleep and fast falling asleep. But you need to use them, taking into account the age of the child, his habits and characteristics of the nervous system. The task of parents is to organize the baby’s daily routine and prepare him for sleep, calming and creating positive associations with the process of falling asleep. With the correct implementation of the recommendations of a specialist, the child will gradually learn to fall asleep independently and faster, will sleep longer and sounder.

You may also be interested in:

Traveling with your baby
Baby's Skin Care Guide

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The information in this article is for guidance only and does not replace professional medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment, contact a qualified specialist.

References:

1. E.S. Sakharova. What worries the baby? Pediatric pharmacology, 2010, volume 7, No. 2, pp. 143-148.
2. I.A. Kelmanson. Formation of the state of sleep in ontogeny and the problems arising from this. Neurology and psychiatry. Special issue "Sleep and its disorders-5". Effective pharmacotherapy, 2017, No. 35, p.4-13
3. M.G.Poluektov, P.V.pchelina. Sleep in children: from physiology to pathology. Medical Council, 2017, No. 9, pp. 98-103.
4. P.V.Pchelina. M.G.Poluektov. How to treat insomnia in early childhood. Neurology and psychiatry. Special issue "Sleep and its disorders-4". Effective pharmacotherapy, 2016, No. 19, pp.52-60.
5. Jodi A. Mindell, PhD; Lorena S. Telofski, BA; Benjamin Wiegand, PhD; Ellen S. Kurtz, PhD. A Nightly Bedtime Routine: Impact on Sleep in Young Children and Maternal Mood. (The Nightly Sleep Schedule: Effects on Young Children's Sleep and Maternal Mood) SLEEP (Sleep), Vol. 32, no. 5, 2009. pp. 599-607.
6. E.A. Korabelnikova. Treatment and prevention of insomnia in young children. Russian Psychiatric Journal, 2012, No. 3, pp. 62-70.
7. M.G. Poluektov Sleep disorders in childhood: causes and modern therapy // Effective pharmacotherapy, Neurology and psychiatry. 1/2012
8. Mindell J, Lorena S, Telofsky BA et al. Nightly sleep routine: effects on young children's sleep and maternal mood. Sleep. 2009; 23:599–606.

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How to wean a newborn baby to sleep only in the arms of his parents? Going from endless motion sickness to falling asleep on your own in a crib

How to wean a newborn baby to sleep only in the arms of their parents? Going from endless motion sickness to falling asleep on your own in a crib

The baby sleeps most of the time, but parents face difficulties in getting to bed. For many, motion sickness becomes a habit, the child sleeps only in his arms. It takes time and patience, parents get tired, they are interested in how to wean a baby from addiction.

Contents

• Causes of "manual sleep"
• Sleeps in arms during the day
• Is motion sickness necessary?
• Komarovsky about the problem
• What to do?
• Common errors

Causes of "manual sleep"

During childbirth, the baby experiences severe stress, gets into an aggressive environment and is forced to adapt to difficulties. In his arms, he quickly calms down, falls asleep soundly and for a long time. The smell, warmth, mother's voice and the beating of her heart remind the newborn of the intrauterine environment, are associated with safety. Tactile contact is a natural need, it helps to strengthen the psychological connection.

The closeness of the mother builds confidence in the outside world, has a positive effect on the nervous system and the overall development of the baby. It grows better, has a strong immune system. Touching helps the baby feel the significance, love of relatives. Psychologists recommend spending more time next to the baby before reaching six months.

It is important to understand why the baby sleeps only in mother's arms. The main reason is anxiety caused by various factors:

1. Overexcitation - due to increased activity or characteristics of the nervous system;
2. A tense situation in the family, quarrels - the baby subtly feels the negative;
3. Discomfort due to uncomfortable clothing, cold or heat in the room;
4. Extraneous sounds, bright light;
5. Change of scenery, visiting relatives, traveling.

Being near the mother helps to calm down faster in case of pain, teething, makes the newborn feel better during colic and bloating.

Sleeps in arms during the day

After falling asleep in their arms, they become awake when trying to shift to the crib. Toddlers may refuse to fall asleep on their own for various reasons:

1. Active games, activities before bedtime, leading to overexcitation of the nervous system;
2. Hunger due to poor diet or reduced lactation;
3. Absence of a daytime walk. Sometimes a child gets used to resting in a stroller on the street, and at home he sleeps during the day only in his mother's arms.

You need to rest at the same time to form a habit. You won’t be able to immediately refuse to fall asleep in your arms, you need to try to shift the sleeping person into the crib. You can wrap the baby in a diaper beforehand - this will reduce his sensitivity. Should be shifted during the deep sleep phase - the first 20-40 minutes. At the same time, the baby is motionless and does not wake up in the crib. The phase alternates with periods of REM, light sleep, when the baby is easily awoken.

Sling

A baby sling can be a way out, freeing mom's hands for household chores. But convenience is relative: the position of the child is different from normal, constant movement makes sleep superficial and reduces its quality. Many are laid next to them on an adult bed, if it is convenient for mommy to fall asleep with a child in the daytime.

Extraneous daytime sounds

Parents advise to lie down in the background of noise, which is not always acceptable. The option is optimal up to 3 months, when children sleep in any conditions. During intrauterine development, they were constantly accompanied by sounds similar to a working vacuum cleaner. After birth, out of habit, they fall asleep better in the background of noise. After three months, the child's body is rebuilt, extraneous sounds begin to irritate. At this time, it is necessary to ensure silence for a full fall asleep.

Is motion sickness necessary?

Many experts do not recommend rocking a baby because of the negative impact on the development of the vestibular apparatus. Uniform movement has a hypnotic effect, the baby falls asleep faster. Sickness in the arms often becomes a habit and the reason for the refusal to fall asleep in the crib. The alternative in the form of a cradle also forms an addiction. If you stop rocking a sleeping child, he may wake up. Parents are forced to spend time and effort, and later nerves, trying to wean the baby from this habit.

Komarovsky about the problem

Dr. Komarovsky explains that falling asleep in arms is harmful primarily for parents, speaks of a lack of patience and willpower on their part. The need to sleep is natural, long whims speak of additional annoying factors that need to be eliminated.

Many parents take a crying child in their arms instead of finding out the reasons for his dissatisfaction. Komarovsky recommends optimizing the lifestyle of the baby so that he falls asleep on his own.

What to do?

How to wean him from the habit of sleeping on his hands? It is necessary to gradually select other ways of interaction. A few recommendations:

• Swaddle until one month old. A newborn child does not control his movements, in a dream he may be afraid of his hands;
• Properly organize a place to rest. Dress and cover according to the environment. It is necessary to eliminate irritants in the form of a working TV, bright lighting, street noise penetrating through an open window. In the daytime, close the curtains tightly to black out;
• Pick up more often when awake. Use this time to study at home, when the baby begins to actively explore the world around him. This will help to gradually move away from the “hands-falling asleep” association;
• Talk affectionately, sing a lullaby so that the baby feels the closeness of the mother. At first, maintain tactile contact by holding a hand near or gently stroking it. Gradually reduce the time, the baby will learn to fall asleep on its own. You can put your mother's thing in the crib, the familiar smell will soothe the baby;
• Come up with a ritual for falling asleep: a bath with herbs, a relaxing massage, reading a book or a lullaby. Calm music will do;
• Avoid active play for 30-40 minutes before bedtime. Adhere to the rest regime, put the child at the same time every day;
• Watch the baby, remember under what conditions he quickly fell asleep in a crib without a mother. Learn to distinguish manipulation from crying for other reasons. In case of pain, children do not calm down in their arms for a long time, if the need is only for attention, they fall asleep almost immediately.

A child older than six months should be explained in a calm and reasonable tone that they need to sleep separately. Then try to put to bed without interrupting tactile contact and affectionate conversation. In case of strong crying, pick it up again, repeat the steps. It may take several attempts until the baby calms down.

Common mistakes

Falling asleep in your arms leads to a lack of time, a decrease in the quality of mother's sleep. As the weight of the baby increases, the load on the joints and spine of an adult increases. This takes parents to extremes.

Negative

Dissatisfaction, anger at the child or the current situation. Negative emotions are transmitted to the baby, aggravating his condition. An adult should be able to cope with a bad mood and look at things positively. The psychological and physical health of the baby depends on this.

Sudden change in upbringing tactics

Sharp weaning from hands - deprives the child of the necessary caress and is a great stress. It is necessary to act gradually, to select alternative ways of laying, at first to be near the crib.

Loneliness

Leaving a screaming child alone for a long time. The technique was proposed by the American pediatrician Benjamin Spock, who admitted his mistake. The baby really screams less and less, gradually gets used to falling asleep on his own. At the same time, he experiences great stress, causing nervous disorders in the future. The healthy formation of a psycho-emotional connection with the mother is disturbed.+

0003

Co-sleeping - suitable for newborns and premature babies. This can be dangerous for the baby, requires sensitivity from adults. If co-sleeping develops into a habit, parents will face the baby's fear of sleeping separately. This will take time to unlearn and become a new stress.